Trump moves nuclear submarines after Russian ex-president's comments
Donald Trump says he's ordered two nuclear submarines to be moved "closer to Russia" after lambasting Dmitry Medvedev, a former president of the war-torn country, for saying "some things that were very bad, talking about nuclear".
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Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, told Trump to remember the Kremlin had Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities of last resort on Thursday.
The US president told American news channel Newsmax on Friday he ordered two nuclear submarines "closer to Russia" in retaliation - without giving further details - and claimed Medvedev should not have made the comments.
He said: "A former president of Russia who's now in charge of one of the most important councils, Medvedev, said some things that were very bad, talking about nuclear.
"And when you mention the word 'nuclear,' you know, my eyes light up and I say, 'We better be careful,' because it's the ultimate threat.
"He shouldn't have said it. He's got a fresh mouth. He's said things in the past, too.
"And so we always want to be ready. And so I have sent to the region two nuclear submarines. I just want to make sure that his words are only words and nothing more than that."
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On Friday, Trump also wrote on social media: "Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.
"Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Britain's former ambassador to the United States - Lord Darroch - told LBC it was a "bit of an overreaction".
He told Matt Frei: "There are always a couple of dozen US nuclear submarines out in the waters and some of them are always in the region, close to Russia or in the Indian Ocean, so there's nothing very new in what Trump has said.
"Trump's thin skinned to people criticising him or taunting him and Medvedev - who I am told counts for very little in Russia nowadays - is always out on social media and is often taunting and critical of Donald Trump".
While Trump's spat with Medvedev escalates, the US president is sending his special envoy to Russia as he raises the pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
Although the exact details of Steve Witkoff's visit are unclear, Trump announced that the envoy would be heading to Russia after his trip to the Middle East.
Witkoff last visited Russia in April, where he met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in what was his fourth meeting with the Russian president.
Trump's decision to move two nuclear submarines closer to Russia has been labelled "irresponsible" by experts.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association advocacy group, said of the move to Sky News: "This is irresponsible and inadvisable.
"No leader or deputy leader should be threatening nuclear war, let alone in a juvenile manner on social media."
Previously, Trump said he will give Russia 10 to 12 days to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine or face further sanctions.
Speaking from the Turnberry golf course, Scotland, Trump told reporters: "I'm going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today.
"There's no reason for waiting... we just don't see any progress being made.
"I’m not really interested in talking anymore."
President Vladimir Putin has indicated that he will not comply with Trump's orders for a ceasefire.
At a meeting with President Lukashenko of Belarus, Putin said that any disappointment arises from 'inflated expectations' but did confirm that progress had been made in the three rounds of talks with Ukraine.
"As for any disappointments on the part of anyone, all disappointments arise from inflated expectations.
"This is a well known general rule but, to approach the issue peacefully, it is necessary to conduct detailed conversations and not in public — this must be done calmly, in the quiet of the negotiation process."
Trump has described Putin’s war as the "one deal we keep losing.”
"I'll announce it probably tonight or tomorrow, there's no reason to wait," he said.
"It would be sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs.
"I don't want to do that to Russia, I love the Russian people, they're great people.
“We’ve got 7,000 Russians or Ukrainians dying every week, he’s [Putin] gotta make a deal.”